We spent three nights at Anantaya Resort and Spa in Pasikudah, in the middle of our road trip around Sri Lanka. This Anantaya Pasikudah review covers the room, the pool, the beach, the snorkeling trip and the full board food, including how the kitchen handled our son's food allergies.

Pasikudah is on the east coast, about 1.5 to 2 hours from Polonnaruwa, and we came here straight from the ruins on our Cultural Triangle road trip. The short version: it was a good stay, we liked the resort a lot, and we would go back and recommend it. The food was the one weak spot.

Quick Summary

• Best for: families and couples who want a beach resort with a big pool and nothing else to do.
• What we loved: the pool with its swim-up bar, direct access to a calm, beautiful beach, and a spacious, well-designed room.
• What could be better: the food was just okay, especially for our son with food allergies.
• What we paid: LKR 225,750 (about $745) for three nights in a Superior Room, full board.
• Best time to go: roughly May to September, the east coast's calm season. We went in mid-August.
• Would we go back? Yes.

Why Pasikudah, and a Little History

Pasikudah was declared a tourist zone back in 1971, and a few hotels opened here before the 1980s. Then Sri Lanka's civil war, from 1983 to 2009, shut much of the east coast off for decades. The area was caught up in the conflict, tourism collapsed, and the 2004 tsunami later devastated the coastline.

Government forces took control of the East in 2007, and the war ended in May 2009. After that, the government turned Pasikudah into a dedicated resort zone and leased the beachfront to private hotel groups. Most of the big resorts here opened between 2011 and 2016, including Anantaya, which welcomed its first guests in 2016. That is why the east coast feels so new compared to the south coast, even though the beaches are just as beautiful.

You can still see it on the drive in. Coming from Polonnaruwa, our driver pointed out areas that were once closed off and dangerous during the war. Much of the countryside is still dry and underdeveloped, with cattle wandering the roads, and then you reach a strip of brand new resorts along the bay.

There is not much of a town here. The resort is the destination, and if you want to do anything else, the hotel arranges excursions for you.

First Impressions at Anantaya Pasikudah

The lobby is an open pavilion with a thatched roof and a long reflecting pool that leads your eye straight out toward the sea. Check-in was smooth, and the service was good throughout our stay, from the front desk to housekeeping.

Our Room: Superior Room

Our Superior Room, about 580 square feet, was really nicely done and had plenty of space for the three of us. Two large beds were pushed together under a carved wall panel, and there was a separate closet, which made a big difference for a three-night stay with luggage. From the balcony we looked over the gardens and the pool.

The one thing we would change: the design leans more toward looks than function. The bathroom is beautiful, with stone basins and sliding wooden doors, but there is not much space to put your things.

The Pool and Swim-Up Bar

The pool was awesome, and it is the heart of the resort. It winds through the gardens toward the beach, with a thatched swim-up bar, called Splash, in the middle. We spent most of our time going from the pool to the beach and back to the pool again.

There is no kids club that we noticed, but there is a games area with chess, checkers and carrom, a tabletop board game popular in Sri Lanka where you flick a striker disc to knock pieces into the corner pockets.

The Beach at Pasikudah

Direct access to the beach is the other big reason to stay here. Pasikudah Bay is a long, shallow bay protected by an offshore reef, with roughly 2 km of sand. The water stays shallow for hundreds of meters, so you can wade a long way out. It was great for swimming. In the mornings the water was very calm, almost too calm, and in the afternoons and evenings there were just the right amount of small waves.

Early in the morning, local fishing boats and outrigger canoes are pulled up on the sand a short walk down the beach. Sunsets happen behind the palm trees, and the beach dog that adopted the area was always around.

Snorkeling Trip from the Beach

The one excursion we did was a snorkeling trip arranged by the hotel, and we really enjoyed it. The boat picked us up right from the beach and took about 10 to 15 minutes to reach the coral reef. We had around 45 minutes to an hour in the water, and the guides were good.

• Cost: about LKR 10,000 for two people (one adult and one child) when we went.
• Booking: arranged through the hotel.
• With kids: best for kids who are comfortable swimming in open water.
• Other activities: the resort also lists jet skis, banana boats, a sunset cruise and fishing trips, plus day trips to Batticaloa and Minneriya. Kalkudah beach is just up the coast.

Food and Full Board at Anantaya

We booked full board, so breakfast, lunch and dinner were included. Overall the food was just okay, and it was the weakest part of our stay compared to the other hotels on our trip. The Sri Lankan dishes were good, but nothing was spectacular.

At night the resort sets up a beach dining area under string lights. This is a separate restaurant that is not part of the full board plan, so you book and pay for it separately. We did not eat there, but it looked lovely.

How Anantaya Handled Food Allergies

Our son avoids fish, peanuts and tree nuts. He can have sesame, but we avoided it on this trip to be safe. He also does not enjoy traditional Sri Lankan food.

• The good: the kitchen took the allergies seriously, and he had no reactions during our three nights.
• The not so good: there were very limited options for him. The staff did their best to make separate dishes, but he did not like how they were prepared.
• Compared to other hotels: this was the hardest place on our trip to feed him, even though the safety side was fine.
• Our advice: email the resort before you arrive with your allergy list and the simple foods your child will actually eat. Bring backup snacks, since there is nowhere nearby to pick something up.

We compare how every hotel on our trip handled the allergies in our guide to Sri Lanka with food allergies.

The Spa

We did not use the spa, but here is the menu so you can get an idea of pricing. Massages started at about LKR 9,000 for 30 minutes when we visited, and 60 to 90 minute treatments were around LKR 14,000 to 20,000.

Good to Know Before You Book

• Wifi, mosquitoes and crowds: no problems with any of them. The resort was not terribly busy when we stayed.
• Guests: there were a lot of international tourists, especially from Russia. Even the feedback cards were in Russian.
• No town to walk to: plan to spend your time at the resort, and book excursions through the hotel.
• Wildlife: mynas and white-breasted waterhens wander the grounds, and you might spot a beach dog or two.
• Getting there: Pasikudah is about 1.5 to 2 hours from Polonnaruwa and roughly 5 to 7 hours by road from Colombo. Batticaloa town is about 45 minutes away.

Anantaya Pasikudah Pros and Cons

Pros	Cons
Pool with swim-up bar	Food was just okay
Direct access to a calm, beautiful beach	Very limited options for picky eaters with allergies
Spacious, nicely designed rooms with a separate closet	Bathroom has little storage space
Good, friendly service	Nothing to walk to outside the resort
Easy snorkeling trips from the beach	Beach restaurant costs extra on full board

What We Paid

We paid LKR 225,750, about $745, for three nights in a Superior Room on full board. That works out to roughly $250 a night for three people with all meals. You can check current rates on the Anantaya Resort and Spa website.

Anantaya Pasikudah FAQ

Is Anantaya Pasikudah good for families?

Yes. The pool, the calm beach and the spacious rooms work well for families. There is no kids club, but there is a games area, and the hotel can arrange snorkeling and other excursions.

When is the best time to visit Pasikudah?

The east coast is at its best from about May to September, while the south and west coasts get the southwest monsoon. We visited in mid-August, and the sea was calm.

Is Pasikudah beach good for swimming?

Yes. The bay is shallow and calm, especially in the morning. In the afternoon there were small, gentle waves when we visited.

How much does snorkeling at Pasikudah cost?

Our hotel-organized trip cost about LKR 10,000 for one adult and one child. The boat leaves from the beach and the reef is 10 to 15 minutes away.

How far is Pasikudah from Polonnaruwa?

About 80 km, or 1.5 to 2 hours by car. We drove from Polonnaruwa to Pasikudah with our private driver after visiting the ruins.

Is full board worth it at Anantaya?

It is convenient, since there is nowhere else nearby to eat. The food is decent but not a highlight, so do not choose the resort for the food.

Final Thoughts

Anantaya Pasikudah was a relaxing break in the middle of a busy road trip. The pool, the beach and the room were the highlights, the service was good, and the snorkeling trip was a fun add-on. The food was the only real letdown, especially for a picky eater with allergies. We would go back and recommend it.

If you are planning a trip to Sri Lanka's east coast, aim for the right season, book early for the summer months, and let the resort know about any allergies before you arrive.

To see how Pasikudah fit into our trip, read our Sri Lanka itinerary, and for the stops on either side of it, our Cultural Triangle road trip.